The Things I Notice First
by kelliejo19
Summary: When we were five years old, Katniss would wear her hair in two braids and when she'd walk to school, they would bounce up and down with each spring of her step. Slowly, as she got older, she began to wear her hair in a long black braid that touched the middle of her back, just where I wanted to lay my hand sometimes. Her hair, just like her, was something I could never ever touch.


_This is a one-shot from Peeta's POV when Katniss was up the tree after the fire in The Hunger Games. _

_Enjoy! _

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Her hair was the thing I always noticed first.

When we were five years old, Katniss would wear her hair in two braids and when she'd walk to school, they would bounce up and down with each spring of her step. Slowly, as she got older, she began to wear her hair in a long black braid that touched the middle of her back, just where I wanted to lay my hand sometimes. When Caesar was interviewing her, her hair was pinned up into a delicate up-do and had two light and feathery curls framing her face. Her hair, just like her, was something I could never ever touch.

The second thing I always notice about Katniss is her heart. It is big enough for Prim, the sweet little girl who used to point admiringly at my cakes in the bakery window. It is big enough for her best friend and hunting partner, Gale. It is big enough to hold the love she has for her mother, no matter how she might try to deny it. It just isn't big enough to hold any love for me.

"Hey lover boy!" I snap out of my thoughts to see Cato, spear in hand, impatiently waiting for me. "We're not going to wait all day for you."

"Sorry," I apologize and I pick up my walking pace until I am falling in step with him. Marvel is behind us, eating the leftovers of what his sponsor sent him last night, and the two girls are ahead of us, chatting quietly. Cato seems to be staring at Clove, the girl from his district, with a gaze that is not quite friendly but not quite stabbing either. I heard them arguing last night when I was on watch and it didn't sound like it was a light argument. Their voices were hissing, accusing, and when they finally stopped, they resorted to dirty looks which has been going on for half the day now.

"Where is your weapon?" Cato asks without so much as a glance my way.

"In my backpack," I say which doesn't make him happy.

"You are such an idiot," he mutters and then grabs on to the strap of my backpack to stop me from walking. He unzips my pack and finds the dagger he gave to me the moment I joined the career pack in the arena. He lifts the dagger angrily and for a moment I think he is going to kill me, that this is it, but he only brings the tip of it to my throat.

"I will make sure you die painfully if you get anyone of us killed." Even though he is fighting with Clove I know, by the look in his eyes, that is who he means. "Don't screw up, Lover boy." The sharp tip presses into my skin painfully until it breaks the skin. A small bead of blood rolls down my neck and stains the collar of my shirt. Cato, clearly having made his point, thrusts the dagger into my hands, turns on his heel, and catches up to the others.

I run a hand over my neck and sure enough, blood smears across my palm. I force myself not to think about the fact that blood, my blood, is on my hand. I wipe my hand in the side of my black shirt, probably staining it, and then run to catch up to the others.

As darkness nears, Cato and the others start getting excited. Every night it has been like this. They are blood thirsty and eager to start killing the tributes who are too weak to fight back. I heard Cato discussing with the girl tribute from one, Glimmer, about trying to track down Katniss. The way he said her name, like it poisoned him just to say it, sickened me to the point where I felt like throwing up. I know he wants to kill her. And then if they kill her they'll kill me too. As we walk we cough and try to get the ash and smoke out of our lungs. The fire was brutal on us but not as brutal as it was on the forest. Trees are burnt down to the crisp and smoke still rises in billowy ribbons from the ground. Cato and the others are concerned about refilling canteens and water bottles so they decide to head for the lake. As we near the body of water, I see a figure bent over in the water cooling off. It's not until we are closer that I can see the pin, reflecting the projected sun. Cato and Glimmer are pointing and are speaking in raspy but excited voices saying that they found her. Katniss jumps out of the water and makes a run for it and Cato, being as blood thirsty as he is for her spilled blood, runs after her and the rest of us follow him.

By the time we are slowing down, Katniss is climbing the tree and then suddenly disappears within the foliage. Cato rolls his eyes and swears under his breath. Suddenly, there is a rustle and her head pokes out of the trees. To my utter shock she is grinning like someone fed her the canary. "How's everything with you?" She calls.

"We'll enough," Cato says, a little confused. "Yourself?"

"It's been a little hot for my taste."

I bite back a smile.

"The air is better up here," she says. "Why don't you come up?"

Cato's jaw ticks. "I think I will."

Glimmer offers her bow and arrow but he refuses and takes his sword with him instead. As the pair climb higher and higher, Katniss like a squirrel and Cato like a bear, I start to understand why Katniss invited him up. Cato and Katniss are not exactly equivalent in size or shape. Katniss is nimble and light and Cato, with all of his muscle and weight, is not and the higher branches will not hold him. This proves to be true when he comes crashing to the ground with a grunt and cussing like a madman. Glimmer, frustrated, climbs after Katniss until she has the good sense to stop. From there she shoots an arrow at Katniss that lands itself into a thick branch. Katniss smirks and then plucks the arrow out of the tree and waves it mockingly.

I know that if I don't do something, Katniss is going to get herself killed.

With a sharp edge in my voice I say, "Oh let her stay up there. It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning."

All eyes are on me including Katniss. My own eyes drift upward and land on Katniss. She is covered in smoke and ash and her shin looks badly burned but not to the point where it is fatal. I notice her hair, which used to be long, is now singed off between her shoulder blades. And then my eyes look at her face. She is furious at me and with good reason to be. I betrayed her, I lied to her, but if she knew the whole truth then I wouldn't be. I want her to go home to her sweet sister and her mother and Gale no matter how much I want her for myself. As the careers and I roll out our sleeping bags, I wonder if Katniss knows if her hair is singed. I know. I know because I notice and love everything about her no matter how big or small. And I always will. For however long that may last.

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_Thanks for reading! Review! _

_Kel _


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